Green Cities Appointed as Japan Representative for Louisiana Global Connect, an International Economic Development Program of Louisiana, USA
Green Cities Inc. has been appointed as the Japan representative for 'Louisiana Global Connect,' an international economic development program of Louisiana, USA. This partnership aims to attract direct investment from Japanese companies to Louisiana and foster business collaborations, thereby strengthening energy security and industrial ties.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 02:18 (15h 47m after Collected)
Green Cities Inc. (Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Mitsuhiko Yamazaki) announced today that it has been appointed as the Japan representative for Louisiana Global Connect, an international economic development program of Louisiana, USA.
Under this agreement, our company will serve as an International Representative in Japan, responsible for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), creating business partnerships with Japanese companies, supporting industrial partnering, and planning and managing missions and events, thereby supporting Louisiana's economic development activities.
**Background of Energy Security and Industrial Collaboration**
In recent years, against the backdrop of increasing uncertainty in the Middle East and the advancement of decarbonization, the stable supply and diversification of energy sources in Japan have become increasingly important from the perspective of economic security and industrial competitiveness. In this context, the US Southern Gulf Coast region is attracting attention as a supply hub for LNG (liquefied natural gas) and petrochemical raw materials, with Louisiana playing a central role. The state has a long history of accumulating foreign corporate investment, and according to Louisiana Economic Development (LED), it has consistently ranked among the top two states nationwide in per capita Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) since 2008. Furthermore, 78,400 jobs are supported by foreign companies, and 560,000 jobs are supported by exports, increasing Louisiana's presence nationwide as a state deeply integrated with the international economy.
In recent years, in addition to traditional energy and petrochemical industries, the state has been promoting industrial transformation in areas such as:
* Clean energy (hydrogen, CCS, etc.)
* Next-generation fuels
* Advanced manufacturing
* Logistics and port infrastructure
* Digital infrastructure
According to LED's public announcements, the state recorded its largest achievements in history by 2025, with over $61 billion in investment and over 9,500 direct jobs created, further strengthening Louisiana's presence as a new industrial investment destination within the US. One symbolic example is Hyundai Motor Group's $5.8 billion investment. The company plans to build North America's first steel production base in Louisiana, expected to create over 5,400 jobs. This case demonstrates that Louisiana is not only a hub for conventional energy industries but is also recognized as a recipient for low-carbon manufacturing and the restructuring of the US domestic supply chain. Additionally, Louisiana boasts one of the leading infrastructure bases in the US, supporting energy, manufacturing, and logistics with eight deepwater ports, six Class I railroads, over 1,000 miles of interstate highways, approximately 50,000 miles of pipelines, and multiple Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs).
This initiative aims to build a practical collaboration foundation to support the international expansion of Japanese companies from both energy and industrial perspectives, against the backdrop of these trends.
**Green Cities' Role**
In this engagement, our company will not merely introduce and coordinate but will consistently undertake the following areas:
* Identifying potential investment companies
* Directly approaching Japanese companies and building relationships
* Coordinating with local government and industrial organizations
* Project formation and investment consideration support
As a group of experts in international business development from conception to execution, we will promote effective Japan-US collaboration. In March of this year, we were invited as the Japan representative to participate in an on-site visit in collaboration with the state's economic development agencies and industry stakeholders. Through discussions with state and regional economic development leaders, and representatives from the port, energy, and manufacturing sectors, we deepened our understanding of the investment environment and specific business opportunities, and advanced relationship building.
At the Port of New Orleans in March 2026. From left: Adrian Lopez Salazar of the New Orleans Port Authority, Kyoko Mizuno and Mitsuhiko Yamazaki of our company, Steve Berg, Australian Representative, Harrison Crabtree and Natalie Moloney of the World Trade Center New Orleans.
**Achievements**
Mitsuhiko Yamazaki, Representative Director, served as the International Business Development Manager at Prosper Portland (formerly Portland Development Commission), where he was responsible for export promotion and attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for the City of Portland.
Furthermore, as Vice President at Greater SATX (formerly San Antonio Economic Development Foundation), he was involved in attracting companies and forming investment projects from Japan, Mexico, Canada, Korea, and other countries, in addition to US domestic companies, leading international investment projects primarily in manufacturing. He led automotive manufacturing projects.
Under this agreement, our company will serve as an International Representative in Japan, responsible for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), creating business partnerships with Japanese companies, supporting industrial partnering, and planning and managing missions and events, thereby supporting Louisiana's economic development activities.
**Background of Energy Security and Industrial Collaboration**
In recent years, against the backdrop of increasing uncertainty in the Middle East and the advancement of decarbonization, the stable supply and diversification of energy sources in Japan have become increasingly important from the perspective of economic security and industrial competitiveness. In this context, the US Southern Gulf Coast region is attracting attention as a supply hub for LNG (liquefied natural gas) and petrochemical raw materials, with Louisiana playing a central role. The state has a long history of accumulating foreign corporate investment, and according to Louisiana Economic Development (LED), it has consistently ranked among the top two states nationwide in per capita Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) since 2008. Furthermore, 78,400 jobs are supported by foreign companies, and 560,000 jobs are supported by exports, increasing Louisiana's presence nationwide as a state deeply integrated with the international economy.
In recent years, in addition to traditional energy and petrochemical industries, the state has been promoting industrial transformation in areas such as:
* Clean energy (hydrogen, CCS, etc.)
* Next-generation fuels
* Advanced manufacturing
* Logistics and port infrastructure
* Digital infrastructure
According to LED's public announcements, the state recorded its largest achievements in history by 2025, with over $61 billion in investment and over 9,500 direct jobs created, further strengthening Louisiana's presence as a new industrial investment destination within the US. One symbolic example is Hyundai Motor Group's $5.8 billion investment. The company plans to build North America's first steel production base in Louisiana, expected to create over 5,400 jobs. This case demonstrates that Louisiana is not only a hub for conventional energy industries but is also recognized as a recipient for low-carbon manufacturing and the restructuring of the US domestic supply chain. Additionally, Louisiana boasts one of the leading infrastructure bases in the US, supporting energy, manufacturing, and logistics with eight deepwater ports, six Class I railroads, over 1,000 miles of interstate highways, approximately 50,000 miles of pipelines, and multiple Foreign Trade Zones (FTZs).
This initiative aims to build a practical collaboration foundation to support the international expansion of Japanese companies from both energy and industrial perspectives, against the backdrop of these trends.
**Green Cities' Role**
In this engagement, our company will not merely introduce and coordinate but will consistently undertake the following areas:
* Identifying potential investment companies
* Directly approaching Japanese companies and building relationships
* Coordinating with local government and industrial organizations
* Project formation and investment consideration support
As a group of experts in international business development from conception to execution, we will promote effective Japan-US collaboration. In March of this year, we were invited as the Japan representative to participate in an on-site visit in collaboration with the state's economic development agencies and industry stakeholders. Through discussions with state and regional economic development leaders, and representatives from the port, energy, and manufacturing sectors, we deepened our understanding of the investment environment and specific business opportunities, and advanced relationship building.
At the Port of New Orleans in March 2026. From left: Adrian Lopez Salazar of the New Orleans Port Authority, Kyoko Mizuno and Mitsuhiko Yamazaki of our company, Steve Berg, Australian Representative, Harrison Crabtree and Natalie Moloney of the World Trade Center New Orleans.
**Achievements**
Mitsuhiko Yamazaki, Representative Director, served as the International Business Development Manager at Prosper Portland (formerly Portland Development Commission), where he was responsible for export promotion and attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for the City of Portland.
Furthermore, as Vice President at Greater SATX (formerly San Antonio Economic Development Foundation), he was involved in attracting companies and forming investment projects from Japan, Mexico, Canada, Korea, and other countries, in addition to US domestic companies, leading international investment projects primarily in manufacturing. He led automotive manufacturing projects.